An Affair For The Ages
by SouthernBumpkin
Summary: Multi Chap post 6x10 fic. Blair married Chuck and is unhappy while Dan married Serena and is looking for more.
1. Prologue

**I am so disappointed in myself for writing this. I'm only putting more work on myself, so I suppose I enjoy pain. I've been disappointed in the lack of postseason 6x10 fics so I decided to write one. I can't say that I will be able to update my other fics consistently now since this fic will become my main focus and priority. In good news, Bad Before Good only has one chapter left and Brighter as We Fall only has a couple left.**

**In this story, everything is canon except Dan being GG. There are too many plot holes and I don't know how to explain Dan being GG. It makes no sense unless he's a sociopath. This fic is pretty dark and emotional, there isn't much banter. It's different because all the characters are much older.**

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Numbness was just a part of her day now. Sometimes, she would overhear gossip of people comparing her to a Stepford Housewife. Before she would've been angry, but now she doesn't feel, so it didn't matter. All she cared about was taking some vicodine and going on with her day.

Everything was in control of her husband. From when they were to be married to when they were allowed to have their child. It was always whenever he had the time. Of course, she knew sacrifice was going to be a big part of their relationship, but she didn't think there would ever be a time when she wouldn't love him.

They would have dinner with Henry, who was obviously on the path of becoming a mess. Dinner would always be quiet because her and Chuck really didn't have much in common. They could talk about their day, but that only drives the conversation so far and it's quite a bore to talk about work. Her relationship was beginning to remind her of Lily's and Bart's.

She would reminisce about High School and College, when her and Chuck would scheme, then have amazing sex, but those days were long gone. It wasn't the same when obstacles weren't in their way. It was just her and Chuck, and the words epic love, but they turned out to be only words, and had no substance in them.

She began taking painkillers when the sex wasn't the same. He seemed tired of having sex with the same woman, and she just wasn't in the mood anymore. There wasn't any thrill to it. When the sex ended, so did their marriage. It officially became just for appearances now.

Her days were consumed with drinking, popping pills, and working. She would work into the late hours, not willing to give up her power in the relationship. She hated it because she knew she was sacrificing her child's future, but her and Chuck had to be equals, otherwise their relationship would be over. That was what the pact was all about.

Sometimes she would cry looking over her wedding pictures, thinking of how special she always wanted her wedding to be, but instead she decided to get married so she couldn't testify against Chuck. It was nothing special and she would never be able to give Henry a great anecdote about it, or most of the things in their marriage. She would never want her child to become like her or Chuck.

**XOXOXOXO**

She's 27 when Chuck was on the brink of hitting her. He never touched her, but he was close. They were both on edge and she was tired of Henry's bad behavior. Chuck was drunk and tired of her accusing him of being a bad father. She called him a murder and he called her a conniving bitch. It only escalated until she finally ran out of the townhouse, looking for somewhere warm to stay.

Not to her surprise, it was raining. She was sitting in the limo, staring at the little droplets on her window while her driver waited for the address. She could head for Nate's, but he couldn't be there for her the way she needed him to be. He was too close to Chuck. Serena was out of town, but it didn't matter anyway, the blonde always pushed her towards Chuck. Now that she's older and looks back on it, Nate and Serena were never there for her in the way they should've been. That boy who's name she will never mention to anyone was the only person who got her out of the funk she was in after being traded for a hotel. Nate witnessed her running out of the Empire after the scar Chuck accidently left, but never said a bad thing to her about Chuck. She couldn't blame them, they were a selfish group of friends and there wasn't any point in taking sides.

She sighed at thought of his name. She was 23 when she realized Dan was her only friend because who the hell would want to be friends with her. It's why her and Serena have been friends for so long. She tried to reach out to him once, when she was lonely and bored. There wasn't anyone who was willing to watch a subtitled movie with her, or go to the museum, or even make her laugh. She called Dan and asked him to come over, but he cordially declined, telling her he was busy working on his book. She never called him again, knowing he would have preferred it that way.

"Mrs. Bass," the driver said, interrupting her thoughts as she could hear the rain splatter outside her limo. "Have you decided yet?"

"Yes…Take me to Mr. Humphrey's please."

Whenever she was down and desperately needed to feel again, she would read _Inside_ and think about what she could've become. She reads the way Dylan loved Clair and can't help but feel her heart warm. It's the only thing that made her feel, but then reality would strike and she would have to come back to the real world.

Dan really loved Serena and they had an amazing relationship. Serena was always glowing and her smile never left. Dan would take her around on vacation all the time. He would receive long breaks after he finished writing, or he could take Serena to somewhere like Rome with him and continue to write there. They didn't have any kids, meaning they had flexible schedules. Chuck and her never have time to go on vacation, and if they did, it was never long enough. Whenever they would leave the country, she enjoyed the culture and history of the places they visited, but Chuck would get bored easily. Chuck enjoyed dining, watching television, or just drinking.

The car stopped abruptly and she finally reached Dan's penthouse in the Upper East Side. She reached the lobby and entered Dan's elevator, thinking about how Serena would slide her hand underneath his coat jacket, giving him a loving smile. Her heart ache's thinking of the image.

_It's so difficult to be in love with someone from afar_

Once the elevator opened, she stepped into the foyer and saw Dan, waiting for her in a plaid flannel, folding his arms across his chest and giving her a lopsided smile.

"What can I do for you Waldorf?"

His mouth opened when a tear slid down across her cheek. His brows knitted in worry and he rushed over to her side, wrapping an arm around her waist. Her weight dropped on his body and he led them into the living room to sit on his sofa.

"What happened," Dan asked softly

She turned her head, knowing she probably looked awful, and met his eyes. "Chuck and I just had a fight…It was bad." She swallowed, feeling a lump in her throat. "We both said some awful things to each other and it became dangerously close to becoming physical."

Dan's eyes hardened. "He didn't touch you did he?" Blair shook her head in response. "Okay…You can stay here for as long as you need."

"Thank you," Blair said softly

Dan's lips curled slightly and nodded. She leaned her head back into his chest and began crying. It led him to probe her with more questions and she told him everything as he ran his fingers through her hair.

Henry had become quite a troublemaker. The teacher scolded him for continuously pinching one of his classmates, but unfortunately, her son didn't take it well. He went to the corner of the room, slid his pants down, and left Mrs. Hines a present.

"You can't be serious," Dan said trying to control himself from laughing.

She pulled away from his chest and looked up to meet his beautiful brown eyes. "Humphrey, he has anger issues and he's obviously crying for attention."

"So give it to him," Dan told her

"It's not that simple." She leaned back on to Dan's chest, with him holding her

"If you love him, it is."

"You of all people should know I don't have a heart."

"Then why did you fight with Chuck today," Dan pointed out

"It's the only noble thing I've done in years," Blair confessed, rubbing her thumb across his hand which was placed on her stomach.

"You can't tell me you don't love your son," Dan said

She intertwined her hand with the hand on her waist. "I'm sorry to disappoint, but I don't feel much anymore."

She closed her eyes and felt a soft kiss on her head.

She's awoken to the scent of bacon. After cleaning herself up, they have a quiet breakfast which took a run for the worst once he showed her the pill bottles he found in her purse. She was furious at first, but she simmered down eventually. He held her so tightly that she couldn't imagine ever escaping his grasp, not that she would ever want to.

The rest of the day was filled with movies they haven't seen together. She knew Chuck was probably worried and she was being irresponsible to Henry, but she's always been a selfish person. Being alone with Dan was exactly what she needed.

The day passed and she took another day off from work. Her body was giving up on her because it had become dependent on those pills. She might have exaggerated on how weak she was and asked Dan to bathe her, but she just wanted to feel his touch on her skin.

He helped her into the tub filled with warm water and covered with bubbles. As Blair was lying on her back, he sat by her side.

"Why are you being so nice to me," Blair asked

"When have I never been there for you," Dan asked back

She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. "I am so sorry for the way I treated you."

Dan smiled. "You don't have to apologize. I thought we were fine."

It hurt so much to hear him being satisfied with them just being mere acquaintances.

"Dan…I need you in my life," Blair told him and placed her hand on his cheek. "I was so stupid for doing what I did."

She always needed Dan, she was just too immature to realize it. She changed so much after she chose Chuck. The only thing on her mind was how great High School was and it made her forget about the future.

**XOXOXOXO**

Everything changed after that day. She went to rehab and got herself cleaned up. Dan was there every step of the way, along with Serena. She gave up on Waldorf Designs to devout more of her time with Henry. Dan was constantly there for Henry as well, treating him like a son. If Serena minded, it never showed.

It took Dan some time to warm up to her, but they eventually fell back into place and became close friends again. He was her best friend but she didn't think she could say the same for him.

Dan's 29 when he filed for divorce. It came as a shock and a bomb was dropped in the Upper East Side. Serena didn't have a clue as to why he was leaving her, she thought they were happy. Unfortunately, this news was dropped on her birthday and Dan didn't attend her party because he didn't want to create any unnecessary drama.

"So how would you rate your birthday," Dan asked entering her kitchen, startling her as she was putting the cake back in the fridge.

"Chuck didn't remember, but that turned out to be good thing," Blair told him, stepping closer in her gold floor length dress.

Dan's lip curved slightly as he leaned his shoulder against the doorframe of the kitchen. "Wow… he's quite a catch."

She smiled lightly and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I'm leaving tonight," Dan said

She looked up to meet his eyes. "Why?"

"I just feel like I lost myself. In our marriage, Serena's been happy, but I just feel like I settled. Like there was nothing better out there for me."

"I didn't realize you weren't happy," Blair said and squeezed his hand

Dan's lip formed into a smile. "I'm not miserable Blair. I felt content with Serena, but it's not the type of love I imagined myself marrying into when I was younger."

"So what are you saying Dan?"

"I've loved someone more than Serena before, and that's the type of love I want," Dan explained and she swallowed hard. Dan began stepping back and gave her a warm smile. "Happy Birthday Blair."

Dan turned his heels, picked up the duffel bag on the floor, and left.

As she walked past the living room, her eyes caught sight of a large gift wrapped box on the coffee table. The birthday card on top of the box was from Dan. She carefully unwrapped the gift wrap and it unraveled the most beautiful Vintage Victorian Dollhouse she had ever set her eyes on. It was pinkish white house and the inside was very detailed with furniture.

After that day, no one had heard from Dan. The only sign of Dan was his lawyers. Eventually, everything fell into place and was normal again. She would hold events and parties, fighting with herself to smile, pretending to be happy.

**I'll only continue this fic if I receive enough reviews because I have so many other fics I still have left to finish. **


	2. Chapter 1

**Wow… I was really pleased with the reviews. I really hope this chapter meets your expectations. Before you read, I just want to add that the canon ruined Blair's character and it left her with having a lot of growing up to do, so I will try my best to fix what the GG writers broke. I think it's also important to point out that Dan and Blair won't be getting together anytime soon in this story.**

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She was crumbling and no one was there to fix the mess. Every weekday, she would wake up and get Henry ready for school. Henry was still having difficulty behaving. She felt responsible for being such a cold parent, but she couldn't give him the type of love he needed when she didn't even love herself.

Once Henry would have breakfast and leave for school, she would call Jenny just to check up on her company, making sure everything was running smoothly. Handing the responsibility of Waldorf Design's to Jenny was the best decision of her life. Unlike her, Jenny was her mother's true protégé.

Drinking a glass of wine became a morning routine as well, just to take the edge off. Dorota noticed, but didn't have the power to take action. Her maid would yell and plead, but it didn't have any effect on her.

When she was 19 and Chuck had completely broken her, she promised herself she would never let her dark side consume her again. Three years later, her mother called her out on her dark side and she accepted it for what it was, deciding this was the path she was destined to cross.

Her mother pulled a disappearing act on her. Once Waldorf Design's officially became hers, Eleanor left for Paris and never looked back. Or course they would spend the holidays together, but she would put on her best act to make sure everything looked fine on the outside. She couldn't bear to see her mother's reaction to another failed marriage.

Serena was gone after the divorce. There would be postcards in her mailbox each month, with different addresses, not that it mattered much. The blonde had become only shopping partner to her anyway.

**XOXOXOXO**

It's Friday and Blair had a big day ahead of her. She was throwing a party to sway Chuck's investors from Russia. They already had a large sum of money invested in Bass Industries, but Chuck was trying to gain more royalty funds from them.

She woke up and left for the bathroom. After brushing her teeth, she reached for her anti-aging cream that cost more than the half the dresses hanging in her closet.

Perfection had become a large part of her life. Just like high school. Every morning, she would rub anti-aging cream on her face, sometimes cringing at the sight of a wrinkle. Her nails were flawless and she had jewelry Queen's could only dream of. On the outside, she was a sparkling brunette.

After waking Henry for school, she headed downstairs to the dining room where Chuck was reading the finance section of the newspaper and looked ready for work in his custom fit suit.

She poured herself a cup of coffee, and asked her maid to bring her daily fruit bowl for breakfast. She had a strict diet and could only consume a certain amount of calories and carbs per day.

"Blair," Chuck called, sitting across from her

Blair raised her eyes off the newspaper she was reading. "What is it Chuck?"

Chuck's lips curved slightly. "Wear that black Oscar De Le Renta dress I bought last week. It really brings out your curves and Boris is quite enamored with you. So it wouldn't hurt for you to do a little flirting tonight."

Blair pressed her lips tightly, trying to hide her annoyance. "Anything else dear?"

Chuck's eyes fell back on the newspaper. "No, that'll be all."

They comfortably fell back in silence and it was something Blair learned to prefer.

Three years had passed since Serena's divorce and the latest gossip had Serena back in New York. It must have been because of the Nate.

It was all over the news. Nathaniel Archibald, the former mayor of New York and who had spent the past summer campaigning for the Governor's chair, was having an affair with the Senator of New York's wife. There was even video evidence of Nate walking into the lobby of some hotel and laughing with the women as they waited for the elevator.

Due to the Political Scandal, no one would be caught dead with Nate. His Political career was over and he had been blacklisted from every Upper East Side event, including the one she was holding tonight.

Being an adult in the Upper East Side was just like high school, except men living in Brooklyn would never be accepted in their community and no one schemed. There was more gossip, because that's all the trophy wives had and women like her and Lily would have to conform to the majority. Status was everything. It was about who's the richest and which family had the best background. Her and Chuck were a true power couple, and in that sense, she had gotten everything she had asked for when they married. Women wanted to be her and men were envious of Chuck.

Once Chuck left for work, she went on with her day. She began going over the catering, making sure everything was in place with her assistant while in the back of her mind, she was expecting a visit from Serena.

"Blair!"

"Serena... I'm so happy you're back," Blair said, looking slightly distracted as she glossed over the curtains in the living room. "Please…Take a seat. I'll be with you in a minute."

Serena caught her up on what she had been doing for the past 3 years. There were a lot of men involved in her stories, which wasn't a surprise. A part of her felt jealous as she listened to Serena's amazing trip. Blair wished she could drop everything and spend months in different parts of the world.

After having tea, and catching Serena up on the latest gossip, they went shopping for Serena's dress for the night. It was unusual that Dan's name never came up. Serena didn't say much about the divorce, but she knew how hurt Serena was. The blonde loved Dan with all her heart but in the end, all he gave her was heartache.

**XOXOXOXO**

Blair was sitting by her dresser, looking over herself in the mirror and making sure everything was flawless. She could hear the chatter coming from downstairs and knew it was time to make her grand entrance. The type of entrance in movie's where everyone would be envious of her beauty and life. She grabbed her clutch and ascended down her staircase, enjoying the feel of everyone's eyes on her.

She spent her time listening to her guests discussing Nate's scandal, which was the gossip of the party. She chimed in from time to time, trying to repair Nate's image, but it didn't make a difference, they saw him a certain way and only time would heal.

As Blair's in deep discussion with one of Chuck's investors, she felt warm slender fingers on her bare arm. She glanced across her shoulder, feeling her long diamond earring graze her bare shoulder, and saw Dan holding a small smile in his black tie suit. He was tanner and his hair was shaped back to the way when they were senior's in high school. The wrinkles by his eyes were scarcely visible, but he still looked a little older, yet younger than his actual age. Unlike Nate and Chuck, who had packed a few pounds, Dan was able to maintain his weight.

She excused herself from the conversation with Chuck's investors, trying to push away the little bubble of excitement that was on the cusp of bursting, and spun her heels around to face Dan.

"It's okay if I'm here right," Dan confirmed, with a hint of twinkle in his eyes.

She blinked and then shook her head a little. "Of course."

His lips curved into a smile and something about it made her feel lighter. Maybe it was because it was the first genuine smile she had seen in years. She looked at down to see him holding a small white box.

She beamed at him. "Is that for me?"

Dan chuckled. "Don't get too excited…It's for Henry."

She pouted, leading him to roll his eyes. She ignored his indecency and grabbed his hand to lead him outside to the terrace where they could be alone.

Setting her heels out on the terrace, summer was still in the air and it felt as dry as a dessert.

She swiped the box from his hand, ignoring the objections coming from Dan and opened the box to see an autographed baseball from Joe DiMaggio.

She tilted her chin up and scrunched her nose. "Who's Joe Dimago?"

Dan laughed, shaking his head and gently took his gift back from her hand. "No one of your concern… but I'm sure Henry will appreciate it."

He was glowing and she was beginning to understand why he left. The time away was good for him and he reminded her more of the Dan before she abandoned him. There didn't seem to be a chip on his shoulder that made him feel like he had to continue proving himself to their little circle of friends. The Dan she liked to remember didn't care about being accepted by them, and he looked to be on that path again.

Dan leaned back against her railing, looking up at her townhouse while she leaned over the railing and looked into the city.

Blair glanced over to him. "So…What have you been up to?"

Dan was mulling over on how to explain, like there was too much to just summarize in one little conversation. He twisted his lips back and forth, thinking on how to begin, and then glanced over to meet her eyes.

At first, Dan left for L.A. and was hired to write a screenplay. He needed some quick cash and was out of ideas for a novel. He was tired of writing novels that were based on the Upper East Side. After writing a few screenplay's for production companies, he traveled and tried to find inspiration for a new story. One that would be challenging and would make people in the publishing industry take him seriously instead of thinking of him as a tacky novelist who writes books that only pleases a certain fan base.

"What about you…How's everything," Dan asked, mimicking her position over the railing

She pressed her lips tightly, trying not to frown. "It's good."

He met her eyes, making her feel bare and a sad smile formed on his lips.

"Do you love him," Dan asked with soft eyes that displayed how much he cared

She swallowed and felt her eyes weaken. "I don't think so…But sometimes I feel like this is my destiny."

Dan broke their gaze and tried to avoid her eyes, mouth closed, jaw clenching. "It's not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves."

_Shakespeare_

It was a remark seized upon by people who were urging others to rebel against something that they thought of as unstoppable.

He met her eyes again, face softening, making it more difficult for her to breath. She felt him place his hand on top the her hand which was on the railing and felt him squeeze gently.

"Dan?"

Their eyes quickly shifted to the entrance of the terrace to see a confused Serena standing by the doorway. Blair gave Dan a small smile before leaving him and Serena, deciding to give the two some privacy.

Before she stepped back into the party, she glanced back to Dan for one last look, feeling happy to have him back home.

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**You like?**


	3. Chapter 2

**The reviews were fun to read and I apologize for not updating earlier. Hopefully, the next chapter doesn't take me long to finish. **

**Italicized writing means flashback of time jump in between prologue and first chapter. If you haven't seen season 6, then this chapter might be confusing. Season 6 left us with many unresolved issues and everyone just seemed to be headed in the direction of misery and divorce. Also, Henry's 11, so it's 6 years after Dan married Serena.**

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With the wind picking up, Serena's hair began to flow as she stepped up and placed her hand on top of the railing to face Dan. There was a mixture of pain and happiness with the smile she presented on her lips.

"Hi."

"Hi," Serena replied shyly, looking down

Ageless was the first thought that crossed his mind when he took her in. He hadn't seen her since Blair's birthday so he wasn't expecting the most welcoming conversation.

"Are you back for her," Serena asked, smile disappearing

Jealousy didn't suit Serena, but it was something he had been dealing with since the release of _Inside_.

"I don't know what else I can say or do to prove I moved on from Blair," Dan answered

Serena nodded and rubbed her hands up to her bare arms to warm herself up, skin tanner then he remembered.

"Sometimes I wonder if it was real," Serena confessed, more to herself then to him

His mouth was left open as a sinking feeling reached his heart. He felt terrible for everything that happened between them, but he was surprised she didn't get it yet.

"It was real and I was happy…But I didn't love you the way he did," Dan told her as he reached for bare arm and met her eyes.

Serena's look shifted into a glower, leading her to pull away from his touch and shake her head. She didn't seem to have anything to add and turned her heels to head back to the party, leaving him stranded out alone in the terrace.

**XOXOXOXO**

"_Why is fortune and fame so important to you," Dr. Reese asked_

_Dan mulled over the question as he sat in the leather ottoman and stared at the ceiling. It was difficult to answer but after spending many years residing in the Upper Eastside, he could only come to one conclusion._

"_Power is everything," Dan said_

"_And why do you think that?"_

"_I felt like it was the only way to win Serena over," he explained after he cleared his throat. "My father lost Lily to Bart and…."_

"_What?"_

"_Nothing."_

"_From what I've gathered…Serena had forgiven you for posting the article on her. She doesn't seem like the type of girl who cared about your wealth or status. She just wanted to be with you," Dr. Reese pointed out_

_Dan sighed and was a bit shaken on how spot on Dr. Reese was, but it was expected since they had been speaking to each other for months now. _

"_Yeah…Now that I look back on it, Serena didn't care about my wealth or status," Dan agreed_

"_But Blair did," Dr. Reese said leading Dan to glance over to his psychiatrist. "See…I think the root of your problems with Blair had converged into your problems with Serena."_

**XOXOXOXO**

After Blair left the terrace, she hadn't seen Serena, but there were mumblings of her storming out of the townhouse. For the rest of the night, she played a great hostess, making sure Chuck's potential investors were very satisfied with the party. Throughout the whole night, Dan was in the back of her mind, but she assumed he had left after his little chat with Serena which made her a little disappointed.

The guests began leaving and she headed upstairs to Henry's room, wanting to check up on him. She rolled her eyes to the sound of a zombie being thrown into a shredder.

When she opened the door to Henry's room, she saw Dan sitting next to Henry on the bed, grimacing a little to the violence from the game Henry was playing.

"You could've just shot him in the head instead of wasting all that energy and health," Dan said

Her lips curved slightly and she crawled onto the bed to sit beside Dan, noticing the open box and autographed baseball on top of Henry's dresser. She pressed her back against the headboard and felt Dan's shoulder just barely grazing hers.

She felt him nudge her shoulder with his, leading her to push him away and laugh lightly as she covered her mouth.

"So…You won't believe what I saw today," Dan said as Henry's focus was on the game

"Oh this sounds good," she replied

"I went to visit my father and saw Lily leaving the loft," Dan told her squinting his eyes and gauging her reaction.

She gasped. "How could he do that to Lisa?...Maybe they were just talking."

Dan frowned. "It looked like the walk of shame to me."

Lily was never the same after her divorce with Rufus. She was back to being the cold person who put Eric in the Ostroff Center without ever truly listening to him. With the divorce, Serena's life became perfect. Her parents got back together and she married Dan. She had gotten everything she wanted.

"Mom, did you get my uniform dry cleaned," Henry asked with his eyes on the screen

"Yes dear, Maria should've hung it in the closet," Blair told him

"What uniform," Dan inquired

She glanced over to Dan. "Henry has a Fall Ball game tomorrow."

Henry paused the game and spun his body over to Dan, eye's lighting up. "Can you come Uncle Dan?"

Dan's lips curled into a smile. "Sure…We can warm up before the game."

Chuck and sports didn't mix well. His interest lied more in business and money but with Dan, it was different. He could give Henry the simple things Chuck couldn't. Before Dan left, she could recall Henry going to Central park and throw a baseball around with Dan. It was something simple and small, but it had a big effect on her child.

Dan turned his head to look at Blair. "Why don't you join us?"

"Sitting in germ ridden bleachers out in public is not something I look forward to. I'm not a soccer mom Dan," she told Dan

Dan sighed and rubbed his forehead with his fingers, looking disappointed.

"You expect too much Uncle Dan," Henry said leading Blair to glare at him.

Dan smiled and looked at Blair, and she couldn't help but smile back. "Your mom's not that bad." Blair playfully narrowed her eyes at Dan. "I do recall her giving up Waldorf Designs for you."

"Thanks," Henry replied dryly.

Dan's eyes then shifted to Henry. "Did I ever tell you about my mom?"

Henry shook his head and Blair slyly placed her hand on top of Dan's, knowing Allison was a sore subject for Dan. He tended to avoid the subject all together.

"She left us in High School so she could find herself. Not that it mattered much because even when she was there, I don't remember her actually being there," Dan told Henry.

"Did she come back," Henry asked, eyes looking very intrigued to Dan's answer

Dan nodded and swallowed. "She did…But unfortunately, she was never really a part of my life."

Dan's relationship with his mother was a mystery to her, but she couldn't imagine it being great since Allison didn't even attend her son's wedding. It came as a surprise because she thought Allison had a strong relationship with Jenny, but then she later discovered that after high school, Jenny spent most of her time in London.

"I don't like your mom," Henry said with a tone of seriousness leading Dan to chuckle

"That's too bad because I like yours," Dan replied and glanced over to Blair, tilting his head, and eyes squinting. "Maybe a little too much."

Blair shook her head but smiled.

She noticed Dan's eyes harden and followed them to see Chuck standing by Henry's doorframe.

"Dan."

"Chuck."

"I didn't know you were back," Chuck said

Dan slid off the bed. "I wasn't planning on it, but then the whole Nate thing happened."

Chuck nodded and looked down. "Is he alright?"

"He will be," Dan replied and grabbed his cellphone off the dresser. "I should be going."

Dan gave her and Henry a little wave and headed out of the room, leaving her with tired Chuck.

**XOXOXOXO**

Dan entered his lavish penthouse to find Nate sitting on a dark brown leather chair, watching the latest MTV reality show. The scruff on Nate's face was threatening to become a beard.

"Boy do I miss being young," Nate said with his eyes on the TV as Dan set foot in the living room and sat on the sofa beside the leather chair.

Dan's lips curved slightly as he leaned in, elbows on his thighs, and tie loosened. "I think everyone does…But I would probably say I miss being a child the most."

Nate's eyes left the TV screen and onto Dan. "When life was simple and everyone would make fun of the kid who picked his nose."

Dan chuckled, eyes squinting from his curled lips. "Yeah…Something like that."

Nate smiled, looked down to take a moment for himself before tilting his chin back up to meet Dan's eyes.

"Thanks for letting me stay here…My building's surrounded by the press and I don't think I can handle them right now."

Dan smiled warmly and nodded before leaving the living room. He headed for the kitchen to grab a beer from the kitchen. He heard his answering machine beeping and knew it was probably overloaded with voicemail's from his agent trying to persuade him to sell the rights to one of his novels.

_Like he needed more money_

He went back to the living room and enjoyed watching teenagers making a fool of themselves for the rest of the night before falling into a deep slumber on the sofa.

**XOXOXOXO**

Blair and Henry took the town car to Henry's game. She decided to watch her son play, thinking it wouldn't hurt to spend more time with her son. The disappointment in Dan's eyes from the previous night was making her feel guilty, which was unusual because she didn't do guilt, but it ruined her sleep for the night so she decided to give in.

They arrived to the baseball field to find the park filled with parents and their children. She scrunched her nose to the smell of pork being grilled out in the public parking. She was regretting the decision already.

Henry ran over to his clubhouse and she was left alone in the middle of a parking lot filled with parents drinking and grilling out in the open, like it was some sort of party.

"What are you doing in this germ infested environment?"

Her eyes shut for a second from the feel of the heat coming from his skin and spun around to see Dan raising his brows, looking amused.

"Shut up," Blair said and she scanned over his wardrobe. "What did I say about wearing T-shirts?"

Dan sighed. "They're a bad influence on Henry."

"Exactly Humphrey, and here you are flaunting around in a T-shirt that tells everyone you enjoy listening to The Grateful Dead, not realizing that no one actually cares who or what you listen to," she told him tersely

She folded her arms across her chest and huffed out a breath, daring him to challenge her.

Dan opened his mouth, but then closed it and scratched the back of his head with a hand, eyes squinting.

"I don't have the energy to even respond to that," Dan replied and then shook his head. "Man I'm getting old," Dan said more to himself than to her and walked off to the bleachers.

She quickened her pace to catch up to him, thinking of more ways to annoy him.

* * *

**Review and make my day :)**


	4. Chapter 3

**This is another very subtle chapter. I just feel like subtle fits this story because that's how the show was, and since this is canon, I decided to keep it that way. Since I wrote this chapter, it isn't confusing to me, but I could see it being confusing to others, especially since I've barley written Dan's POV in the other chapters. As a reminder, flashback is italicized, and it's an important flashback that makes sense towards the end of the chapter.**

**Also, sorry for the errors. I know this chapter might have some and I don't have time to look it over. **

* * *

Dan should be writing and finishing the novel he's spent the past three years working on, but Nate had become quite a distraction. A month had passed and he was still in New York. The plan was to stay in New York for two weeks, but he lost track of time.

He doesn't know how, but Nate had convinced him to come camping with Blair and Chuck. It wasn't any regular sort of camping trip, there was an imprint of the Upper East Side on it.

The trip began with Nate driving them to the woods in a giant Black SUV. There weren't any tents, instead Chuck had chosen to book them a large cabin with a glorious view of the lake.

Dan threw his bag into the back of the SUV and saw a blue eyed dirty blonde woman walking side to side with Chuck. She looked familiar and he realized he had seen her in the New York Times before. There was a piece on her about her paintings.

Katherine Starr was her name if he remembered correctly.

"Dan…This is Katherine," Chuck introduced them

Dan's lips curved slightly. "I'm a huge fan."

Katherine met Dan's smile. "So am I."

"It's okay, you don't have to lie," he joked, shoving his hands down his pockets.

Katherine laughed lightly at first, but then raised her brows and gave him a look of not trying to offend. "I'm sorry…I'm a little old for your books."

Katherine gave him one last smile before leaving to sit in the SUV.

As soon as Katherine left, Dan tilted his head and looked at Chuck. "Dude."

"I know," Chuck said giving him knowing smirk

"Thank you."

Chuck laughed and walked past Dan.

Driving to the cabin, Dan started playing _I Spy_ with Henry and slowly everyone started joining them. Of course when Nate joined them, he ruined the game by choosing Serena's cleavage as what caught his eyes.

He spoke with Katherine for a little while and learned she was a family friend, more so of Chuck's then Blair's. She had sort of a hippy look to her, but she was really gorgeous. The first thing he noticed about her was her full lips.

Once they finally reached the cabin, they grabbed their bags and went their separate ways. As he stepped into through the sliding glass door, he could easily picture himself getting lost in it. The place had fur rugs and animal heads on the walls. It had a classic cabin feel to it, except it was larger.

Nate and Dan made sure their rooms were next to each other, since they were the only single men in the cabin. After they unpacked, they went straight for the wine cellar, hoping Henry was put to bed by then.

He stepped down to the dusty old basement with Nate and began searching through the racks of wine, finding them to be very old.

"Do you know why I left Serena," Dan asked, looking at the year and name of the wine's he was scanning through.

Nate's eyes left the wine and went to Dan. "No…You never talk about it."

"I treated her pretty badly," he told Nate as the blonde uncorked a bottle of wine

A sad smile formed on Nate's lips. "Yeah…I remember."

"She deserves to be with someone she doesn't feel insecure with…With someone that loves her just as."

Dan chose a bottle of wine and headed back upstairs, hoping Nate got the idea.

**XOXOXOXO**

"_I can't deal with this anymore," Chuck yelled, pacing back and forth in his office. "I'm not gonna sit around and watch you have some emotional affair with someone who doesn't even live here."_

"_What do you want me to do," Blair asked sounding hopeless and tired_

_Her eyes felt heavier than they should have. _

_Chuck stopped and looked up to meet her eyes. "I want you to come back to reality. I want you to fight for us."_

_Her eyes shifted downwards. "We both know we married too young...We should've dated, or at least moved in together first."_

"_We can fix this," Chuck countered as he stepped closer_

_Blair looked up again. "How?"_

_Chuck reached for her cheek and looked deeply into her eyes. "Do you trust me?"_

_She took a moment to think about it. Her eyes were on him and they looked sincere._

"_Yes," she whispered_

**XOXOXOXO**

Blair took a sip from her glass of wine and narrowed her eyes at the two chattering it up by the warm fireplace. Her lips were pressed in displeasure from the stench of romance filling the room. It reeked of chemistry and her fingers began grasping tightly onto her wine glass.

"Are you seriously just going to sit here and watch him get laid," Serena said, ruining her sulking

Blair turned her head and glared. "Are you," she challenged

Serena giggled as her lips were pressed on the edge of the glass. "Oh Blair." Serena placed her drink on the coffee table and her eyes went out to the deck. "Nate looks awfully cute tonight…Don't ya think?"

She took her eyes off Serena, and had another sip from her wine glass, deciding to ignore the blonde. Her lips pouted a little at the thought of everyone other than her having sex tonight. Even if Henry wasn't staying in the same room, she doesn't know if she was really in the mood.

"Are we friends," Serena asked hesitantly

Her eyes were on Dan and Katherine, Serena barley maintaining her attention. "Why are you asking?"

"Because you never told me how you feel about him," Serena explained sounding a little sad

"I suppose you can call us acquaintances stuck with each other," she told Serena

Blair continued to stare at Katherine and Dan, fingers curled under her jaw. Living in the past was considered dangerous, but Blair had been doing it all of her life. Her life was just a cycle and the men were all the same.

"You're letting Chuck win."

Her attention then went to Serena.

"Dan seems to be into Katherine," Serena said

"I think that was what Chuck was aiming for S."

"Or, it might just be the push you need," Serena countered with a light smile

"Why are you doing this," Blair asked softly

"Because I don't want Dan to be like the alcoholic writer's he looks up to."

**XOXOXOXO**

Dan tried to go to sleep, but the sounds of Serena's moaning were terribly annoying. After listening to the journey of Nate and Serena's sexual awakening for each other ended, he still had trouble sleeping so he left for the kitchen to have a glass of milk.

To his surprise, he saw Serena grabbing some fruit from the fridge, hair disheveled. He cleared his throat and Serena's head popped out of the fridge to the sound.

"You're still awake," Serena said, looking surprised

"You do know your room wasn't preoccupied," he replied, lips curving slightly. "But then there is nothing better than revenge I suppose," he trailed off.

"Of course, you needed to know what you were missing out on," Serena teased as her lips curled into a smile

They laughed it off and let a moment pass in-between them. The curve of Dan's lips faded and he looked straight across to meet Serena's eyes.

"Why now?"

"Because if I was going to be with Nate, then there was no chance of us salvaging our relationship," Serena confessed, looking down. "It was hard for me to let us go."

Serena gave him a sad smile and picked up some things from the fridge and headed back for Nate's room.

Night passed and he cooked waffles for everyone. The smiles on their faces were worth all the effort. Once everyone was finished eating, he snuck Henry out, right under their noses and took him fishing. He could've taught Henry to fish with plastic bait, but he decided to teach the boy the way his grandfather taught him. Henry scrunched his nose at the sight of sandworms just like his mother would, but he continued on and showed how to place the worm onto the hook. They eventually caught a bass, but placed it back in the water.

After spending some time fishing, they headed back to the cabin to see the group holding rifles and with dogs roaming around them. Chuck explained to him that they were going to hunt for quails. He wasn't surprised since he wasn't expecting it to be a normal camping trip.

They split up into groups and dogs. Blair teamed up with him, causing Chuck's nostrils to flare. Chuck took Henry with him, since according to Chuck, hunting was something a father taught his son.

"I have no idea how to use this thing," Dan said, holding a rifle and his steps causing a rumpling of leaves noise

Blair and him were in the woods with no sign of life except the sounds of bird's chirping and their dog breathing heavily.

"Where are we going to find this stupid bird," Blair huffed

"Even if we find one, who's shooting it," Dan questioned, staring at Blair

"You obviously," Blair replied, raising both her brows expectantly

"Leaving me with the dirty work. Why am I not surprised?"

She giggled and then nudged him with the butt of her rifle. Their eyes then met and she looked at him in a way that made him feel something he had been trying to avoid for years. He hated that look. The look that had her lips slightly curved and her eyes gleaming.

Dan cleared his throat and took his eyes off her.

"I hear you're leaving," Blair said, trying to change the mood

"I have to go home at some point."

"Why don't you consider New York home," Blair asked

He stopped and turned so that his body would face her. "Because the only thing linking me to you guys is Serena."

Blair frowned a bit in response. "That's not fair."

He smiled a little thinking of a memory, now realizing how ridiculous they were. "Do you remember what you told Serena before your wedding?...The thing about how I not one of you, but Chuck is."

Blair's face fell. "You know about that," she said softly

He nodded and swallowed. "At first, it killed me because all I ever wanted was to be accepted, especially by you….But then I realized it wasn't such a bad thing and that's what led me to leave New York."

"I only said that because the thought of you being in love with Serena really bothered me," Blair admitted, shoulders slouching and her eyes on her hands.

"Unfortunately, I don't believe you."

Serena was the only person who stood by him, no matter what mistakes he made. Nate turned on him and accused him of being worse than Chuck while Blair thought he was the most disgraceful person in the world, all because he turned into them.

**XOXOXOXO**

Nate took a swig from his beer bottle and then ran his hands through his hair, showing off his long dirty blonde locks while standing out on the deck.

"Thank you."

"For what," Dan asked, brows furrowing in confusion

"For helping me with Serena," Nate answered and looked down. "How can I help you?"

Dan shook his head and took a swig from his beer bottle. "When are you going to learn that I'm not going to change my mind?"

"Why," Nate asked softly, probing further

"Because she never loved me," he stated him simply with a sad smile. "Not that it mattered because if she had chosen me, she would've caught me having sex with Serena."

Nate leaned back against the log wall and took a moment to stay in deep thought as he took everything in.

"She's a mess now," Nate said more to himself then Dan. His eyes then shifted up to meet Dan's. "Why do think she drink's so much?"

Dan shrugged his shoulders, eye's crinkling questionably. "Chuck's an asshole."

"Three words…Damsel. In. Distress," Nate told him putting out three fingers, waiting for a reaction from Dan, but none coming from his direction.

"I know where you're trying to go with this."

There was some preconceived notion that Blair had been trying to gain his attention by destroying herself, but he had difficulty believing it. There were words Blair said to him that always stuck in his head and that had burned a hole in his heart.

"Blair was a mess after you left…It got so bad that her and Chuck started swinging," Nate explained and then looked down, deeply saddened at the thought.

His fingers curled into fists and he closed his eyes, trying cool off.

"Why didn't you do anything about it," he asked, jaw clenched

"Because it's Chuck and Blair. I thought that was how they functioned... But it just made things worse."

Dan chugged his beer and left the deck, not wanting to listen anymore. Listening about someone with so much potential going on a downward spiral was not his cup of tea.

"What are you going to do about it," Nate yelled out

"I'm not talking about this with you," he replied

**XOXOXOXO**

After making sure Henry was asleep, Blair left her bedroom to head downstairs, but when she walked past the bathroom, she felt a hand on her arm and the next thing she knew, she was in the bathroom with Dan staring down at her. Her back was against the door and their hips were pressed together.

"What are you doing," Blair asked, sound a bit surprised, breath caught

His big brown eyes were soft and hurt. "How about you come with me?"

"Where?"

A smirk tugged his lips. "Does it matter?"

She felt his hands grab underneath her thighs, to lift her up onto the sink. She slowly stared at his chest and swirled her index finger around it, looking a little shy.

"Unfortunately, there's only one way I can be happy." She placed a soft kiss right below his ear. "And it's with you…So tell Katherine I'm sorry for being selfish."

She could feel him smile as she nuzzled her nose and cheek against his neck, taking in his scent.

"What took you so long," she asked softly before placing kisses from his neck to the corner of his lips

"Sheer stupidity," Dan said before meeting her soft lips.

She let tugged him closer with her legs and enjoyed the feeling of him moving his hands freely within her hair as the kiss deepened. A suppressed moan escaped her lips as his tongue entered into the equation.

Dan pulled away from her lips and leaned his forehead against hers. "It can feel like this…If you want it to."

She met his eyes and they were pushing her to join him, but she could feel Henry and Chuck in the back, ruining any possibility for her and Dan.

**Some might think Chuck and Blair swinging is a bit drastic, but I can seriously see them being that couple. Also, I think the next chapter will definitely come as surprise.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Thanks to those who took the time to review. It's greatly appreciated and I apologize for not thanking those who did through P.M. This is not my best writing, and I apologize for that, but I hope you enjoy anyways.**

* * *

The clock struck past nine when Blair awoke. Her nose had gotten the best of her. She rolled over to see croissants and freshly brewed coffee on a tray by her bed. She smiled a little to herself and pushed the duvet off.

She ordered her maid to take the food downstairs and left for the bathroom to shower and clean up. Once she was dressed and ready for the day, she headed downstairs and had her breakfast.

The Chateau was filled with the help working on the plethora of unnecessary rooms in her father's place.

After eating and gaining some energy from the coffee, she grabbed her keys and called Arleta over. Her well-structured head maid hurried over diligently.

"My mother may or may not be staying over tonight, so I'm expecting this place to be in tip top shape," she told her maid.

Arleta nodded. "Yes Miss Blair."

"Good." Blair pulled out her phone and began checking her messages. "Now please call the driver over, I only have an hour before the gallery needs to be opened."

**XOXOXOXO**

Blair flicks the lights on and clicks her heels over to her art collection, making sure everything was arranged perfectly. Every painting or exhibition the gallery displayed was her taste. It wasn't about what the customers liked. It was about setting the latest trend in art.

For most of her day, she would spend it in her office. Typically, her gallery would be busier during the evening, especially when she hosted special events after striking a deal with an artist. The day mostly consumed with regular business affairs like speaking with potential clients or selling a piece off to a buyer.

A knock on the front door of her office was heard and she already knew who was behind it.

Blair looked up and at the front door. "Come in."

The door opened and her mother appeared, presenting a wide smile. Eleanor walked in and sat right in front of Blair's desk, legs crossed. She still had that confident spunk to her.

"This place is looking better and better with each visit," Eleanor praised, placing her purse on Blair's desk.

Blair let go of her pen and shifted back on her chair. "I would hope so."

"And your father's place is treating you well I presume."

Blair shut her eyes in annoyance. "Yes mother."

Eleanor laughed a little. "Oh Blair…You must control that impatient attitude of yours."

Blair pressed her lips tightly, feeling further annoyed.

"I've heard from your father that you two are close to reaching a settlement," Eleanor inquired

"We are." Blair swallowed nervously before her eyes shifted to her mother. "Does it bother you?"

Eleanor lips curved into a smile as she shook her head. "Of course not…But I did warn you about your dark side," Eleanor reminded her. "I was never pleased with the way he treated you in the past, but we've always been different in that regard, which is why I always preferred Nate to be frank."

A frown appeared on her lips and she felt like that little girl in High School again. Her mother was giving her a slap to the face by claiming she didn't have much pride. She began nervously tapping her fingers along the desk, looking away and waiting for the scolding to come.

"It's funny how you're saying this now," Blair muttered under her breath.

Eleanor's lips curved slightly. "And deal with your stubbornness," she teased, but then noticed the frown on Blair's lips. "The past is the past, let's not let it ruin our evening."

She sighed, knowing her day was already ruined. "I agree."

"Good." Eleanor then rose up from the chair. "Now, show me your latest additions to the gallery."

**XOXOXOXO**

With her being close to reaching a settlement after filing for divorce, her mother pestered her with more question as she had trouble maintaining attention on the art. Her father was the one more interested in her work. Her mother was just happy she was running a successful business.

She could see the disappointment in her mother's eyes for not putting up more of a fight. It was difficult for her mother to understand that she was tired and just wanted to get on with her life. Fighting over a couple extra million dollars seemed pointless to her.

The most important thing for her was sharing custody with her son. She would have Henry on the holidays and in the summer. He would remain with Chuck during the school year and she was fine with that because she preferred the schools in New York for her son.

They were planning to have dinner before her mother would catch a train back to Paris. It was past six and she locked up the gallery, only to find Dan leaning his back against her town car, folding his arms across his chest, and wearing a black suit with an unbuttoned white dress shirt underneath.

His hair was gelled and parted to perfection, the way she liked most. A lit cigarette was held in his mouth as he placed the pack of cigarettes under the sleeve pocket of his suit jacket.

He took the cigarette away from his lips and curved his lips slightly at the sight of Eleanor, as he pushed off the car and stepped closer.

"Dan," Eleanor questioned, a crease forming in-between her brows. "What brings you to Lyon?"

He pressed a soft kiss on Eleanor's cheek, just as a way of greeting, leading her mother to blush a little. Their eyes then connected and her lips remained purse, making sure he couldn't read her. Her throat tightened as they let the quietness settle in, but wouldn't leave each other's eyes.

"Blair of course," he answered and moved his attention back to Eleanor. "I had been staying in Paris for the past couple of days to promote my book, but now that I'm free, I couldn't see why it wouldn't be a good idea to visit an old friend."

His eyes squinted as he sucked on the cigarette, waiting for a response.

"We were just heading for dinner," she told Dan

He blew smoke in the other direction before turning his head back to them. "Then I suppose I'll pay."

**XOXOXOXO**

Her mother was smiling and having a good time conversing with Dan. He was leaning back in his chair, mixing French with English, and crossing one leg over the other.

They were hitting it off, her mother praising Jenny while Dan was praising Eleanor. Ageless was one of the words he used to describe her mother.

"Where are you planning to stay Daniel," Eleanor asked before taking a forkful of her dessert.

Dan tossed his table cloth back on the table and met her eyes. "I don't know, but I'm sure Blair can point me in the right direction."

"If you haven't booked a room, I'm sure Blair will let you stay at her father's." Eleanor looked over to Blair. "Right dear?"

Her lips curved into a fake sweet smile. "Yes, I'm sure I can manage."

Their eyes met and his lips quivered, suppressing them from curving. He gently grabbed his wine and took a sip, before placing it back on the table and meeting her eyes again.

"It must get lonely over there," Dan replied, fighting a smirk

She pressed her lips tightly, not letting her erratic heartbeat get the best of her. "It's why god made hands."

Eleanor choked on her chocolate cake and had to let the piece of cake fall into her table cloth.

Her mother glanced over to Blair with wide eyes. "Blair!"

Dan licked his lips as his eyes shifted between the mother and daughter. "I think I'll go for a smoke." He released himself from the chair and left the restaurant, leaving her to fend herself from her mother.

"I think I'll use the little girl's room," Blair said, not giving her mother the opportunity to scold her.

She angrily clicked her heels over to the bathroom. After placing her purse on the sink, she took a deep breath and looked at her reflection.

She didn't have much time for herself, seeing the door open from the reflection of the mirror. Her breath hitched when it turned out Dan was the visitor. With the door locked, he made his way over and pressed his hips against hers, leading her eyes to shut while taking in a deep breath through her nose.

He turned her around and pressed her against him, waiting for her eyes to open. "What is your problem? Hmm….Am I not giving you enough attention?"

She opened her eyes and let her weight fall into his arms. "I'm having trouble deciphering whether you're here for me or my mother."

"Let me make things clearer then," he whispered, leaning his lips to her chest.

She could feel his breath on her cleavage, and his lips were on the verge of meeting her skin. He slowly pressed soft kisses down to her chest, until he found her erect nipple. Opened mouth kisses came soon after and he outlined her nipple, through the dress and bra with his tongue, earning him a soft moan. She arched her back along his waist, her hair on the sink, and forehead on the cusp of touching the sink, as his lips traced down her stomach.

The moment was ruined when they heard a knock on the door. Dan rose back up, tapping her butt cheek a little while holding a smug grin.

"Come on, let's go," he said.

She huffed out an annoyed breath, straightening out her dress, and putting herself back together before following Dan out.

**XOXOXOXO**

Eleanor decided to catch the train back to Paris, not coming as a surprise to Blair. They said a few kind words to each other and her mother leaves in a taxi, heading for the train station, and leaving her with Dan.

The taxi was out of sight and she turned her attention to Dan, only to see him lighting another cigarette, staring down the street.

"You must be imprudent if you think you can just waltz back into my life," Blair said

Dan glanced over and met her eyes. "Then what was that in the bathroom?"

"A minor brain lapse," Blair replied, folding her arms across her chest and pressing her lips in displeasure

"I'm getting tired of your games Waldorf." Dan left her eyes and began staring down the street, smoke reaching her nose. "Do you still have it?"

Her eyes shifted downward. "Yes."

His head instantly moved in her direction, blowing smoke in the opposite way. "Then what are we talking about here?"

"You left."

"You told me to," he replied, stepping closer

"I say things all the time, it's for you to decide whether they're true or not," Blair said, not smiling one bit, but looking deeply into his eyes.

He cupped her cheek, and gently caressed her skin with his thumb. "Did you miss me?"

She didn't say a word, but placed her hand over his, turning her head a little to put his thumb in her mouth to suck on it seductively as an answer, not leaving his eyes. He swallowed nervously, licking his lips, and she moaned appreciably to his reaction.

"I think we should call your driver," he said

**XOXOXOXO**

The drive up was torturous to say the least, but they finally made it back to her secluded Chateau, in a driveway that didn't show many signs of human life. They reached the door in a hurry, to only hear crickets.

Searching through her purse for the house keys, Dan held on to her waist from behind and kissed her neck earnestly.

His hand slowly slid down and under her dress, pushing her panties aside. A moan escaped her lips as he started rubbing her nub with his thumb. Her head rolled back, giving him more access to her neck and letting her purse fall on the floor once her hand found the keys. She was lacking concentration on the door knob, as her mind was on the feel of his hard cock on her hips. She swayed her hips mercilessly against him, trying to make him feel the same way he was making her feel with his fingers.

It was becoming more and more difficult to unlock the door as his fingers worked faster and his tongue tasted every bit of her skin.

"I love your skin…The smell, the taste…but mostly the softness," he whispered against her skin

She cried his name out loud and was losing control. Her breathing was becoming erratic and soon, his hand intertwined with hers so he could take the key from her hand. Once she had become free from the responsibility of unlocking the door, she jumped on him, and attacked his neck.

"I missed you," she said softly, kissing all over his neck and jawline rapidly.

With his free hand, he somehow unlocked the door and he carried her in, hands on her hips. He kicked the door in with his foot and gently placed her on the carpeted hallway, lips never leaving her neck. Not that she would let him with her hand urging him to continue.

He ripped in-between the cleavage of her dress partly, not wanting to wait, and she bit the back of her hand, trying to suppress a moan. His lips traced down to her breasts, bra being shrugged off and his mouth eventually finding a nipple. He bit and sucked, and her moans only encouraged him more as she unbuttoned his pants and slid them off with her feet.

She wrapped her legs around him, and he received the message. A gasp escaped her lips when he entered her. Her hands slid to his bare hips, digging and clawing as her nose was twisting in a way of pure enjoyment from the feel of his cock, bare.

They didn't last long, it was fast, but much needed. She was breathing hard, staring at the ceiling and feeling out the carpet with her fingers.

She intertwined her finger with his. "Fighting with you is my way of pushing you away." She rolled over to face Dan. "The insecurity of you leaving me is always there."

"Why," he asked softly, with caring eyes.

"There are going to be days when you're reminded of the past and if you leave me for good because of it…" she closed her eyes at the thought, trying to mask the pain. "Well, I don't think I'll be able to recover."

Dan sighed sadly. "I wish you knew how empty I feel without you."

She smiled a little and then kissed his hand before standing up to head for the staircase. Once she reached her room, she opened her jewelry box and slid a ring on her finger.

* * *

**It was a flash-forward for those who are confused. **


End file.
